993 factory springs - how to determine

[mack]

I have a 97 Carrera 'S' that I've owned twice, but between ownership, it was lowered. I'm assuming it was done at the spring perches rather than new, shorter springs put in (everything looks equally discolored/dirty in the suspension area). Is there a definitive way I can confirm that the factory springs are still in place? They are black and have colored bands (forget if it was tape or paint swatches at the moment). The car does not have the MO30 sport suspension, but it rides like a buckboard now in my opinion. I'm a lover, not a fighter and I want to take the bite out of the suspension. Any hints on working the spring perch collars to increase the spring height would also be appreciated. I assume I'll just turn each an equal number of turns X amount, drive it, and reassess the ride? Thanks!